Technique advices

Facing a climb

One of the most amusing experiences in mountain-bike are reductions... As a cause (or a cause) of them, climbs are a necessary sacrifice the biker has to make, a sacrifice to plan in the best way in order to save energies. Fitted saddleback and handle-bar in their right positions, you have to fit the position of your body on the bike. Once again, you have to look fixed in front of you; your back must be lowered, carrying ahead the trunk, and the weight must be proportionally balanced between front and posterior axis: an excessive weight on the front axis would not be enough for climbing. As a result, the front wheel would bump up. On the other side, an excess of weight on the posterior axis would move you back instead of moving ahead! Keep on pulling the handle-bar while trying to stay steady on the bicycle could provoke smacks an could lose one's balance. It's better trying to maintain fluid movements and to keep an even pace.

Facing a downhill

The main rule to follow while facing a downhill by bycicle is: never remain seated in the saddle. You have to get up on the pedals in order to permit a correct displacement of your weight and to avoid overchargement on the the front wheel. In this way, if you eventually find an obstacle, you avoid obstructions and stops. A fluid riding style guarantees shock absorbibg and a correct weight balance. In case of steep incline, in fact, it becomes essential to move the weight on the rear axle, even withdrawing beyond the saddle, supporting the chest on it. In this way, in case of obstacles, if the bicycle blocks off you can avoid a bad falling just "slipping out" the bike. Moreover, in case of obstacles it's important to give a boost on the pedals in order to obtain the just propulsion and surpass the oblstacle.

Facing a curve

Structure of the curve
When you have to face a curve it's necessary you possess keen eye and experience. In fact it's essential to prevent the dangerousness of a curve considering the trajectory you are following in that moment and looking at the roughness of the ground. Nevertheless we have to consider the fact that bicycle is... the slimmest means of conveyance, and then the biker can count on a certain space in teh carriageway, useful for facing in the best way a curve, "smoothing" it. Widest is the curving angle, highest is your speed in facing the curve. Then it becomes essencial "to draw" an imaginary curve inside the curve itself: if you are in front of an elbow you can drow advantage from the space in the carriageway you have, bending furthermore the curve.
You have to follow the curve without using pedals and keeping lifted the pedal which is internal in the carriage.
If the curve is on an up slope acceleration is not enough, you have to move forward with the trunk. On the other way, if the curve is particularly grip, you have to take into consideration once again your posture, (the arms, as an example, do not have to be rigid) and the rhythm of your pedaling, which has to be fluid and flowing.

Position of the biker on the bicycle
Once “designed” the curve, keeping a correct position on the bicycle is equally important, as important as studying the position of the bicycle itself on the road, In order to omptimize adhesion between the wheels and the ground you must incline the bike. The adhesion of the front wheel has to be constantly maintained: if the posterior wheel lose adhesion you can correct the mistake changing trajectory, correction you can't make in case of missed adhesion with the front wheel. The secret is to calibrate the weight: an excessive weight ahead imply losing control, therefore it is necessary, on the skids, to balance weight between ahead and behind. Gently moving your basin on the inside of the curve counterbalances the increased weight caused by the curve.

Use of the brakes
Generally speaking, is a good habit to avoid to refrain while a curve is being faced, since the action of the brake provokes a loss of balance of the weights and a consequent loss of equilibrium. But in case of downhill it is necessary to slow down, and the use of the brake becomes almost obligatory. Pay attention to always use the posterior brake, as the front one is very powerful and would catapult the biker ahead.
Anyway even the stop with the posterior brake has to be harmonic.  

Facing a pebbly or sandy ground

On non-hard-surfaced routes the path is usually unbeaten. Once again you have to pay attention to your position on the bike, counterbalancing the weights between front and back axles in order to avoid abrupt interruptions. A weight in excess ahead, in fact, would embed the front wheel amoung the rocks, imprisoning the bici in the gravel, and provoking a fallen on at leas an abrupt stop. Fundamental is to look ahead, once you enter in the pebbly path and counterbalancing the weights by choosing a fluid posture, holding on with arms in no rigid position, and trying to maintain a homogenous pedaling, without jerks. In case of sandy ground the problems are even greater: the excess of weight ahead provokes in fact the same disadvantages listed above, plus the fact that sand, finer than gravel, increases the possibilities of loss of the equilibrium. Our advices are the same that in gravelly ground case, paying even more attention to posture and fluidity in the pedaling: a loss of rhythm would increase the possibilities of loss of the equilibrium.
 

Wading

All the advices written above regarding pebbly ground or sandy ground has to be repeated, with the aggravating circumstance of the slipperiness of the ground and the destabilization given from the water current. Correctly wading means also to keep itself ready for a fall in the water: the shoes, therefore, has to be uncoupled from the attack of the pedals. You must choose a low march, preview a sure space of run-up and, once in water, you must try to pedale as less as possible and to take advantage of the run-up.
 

Crossing a tunnel

Nearly like in the event of bathed ground, when you have to cross an artificial tunnel you have to consider an increase of slipperiness of the ground. Then you have to be even more prudent that in a common viscid ground case, because of the low visibility and the curving of the walls of the tunnel: more slippery is the surface, minor is the friction between the wheels and the ground on the edges of the track, where the walls of the tunnel begin. You have to try, therefore, to maintain yourself in the center of the track, looking in front of you and trying to manage at your best the use of the brakes.